# Top DLA acquisition leaders meet in Richmond for CCO summit

/ Published July 1, 2024
RICHMOND, Va., 
Top acquisition leaders across the Defense Logistics Agency gathered June 25-26 on Defense Supply Center Richmond, Virginia, for a Chief of Contracting Office Activities summit.

The two-day summit provided additional training and the latest updates to contracting requirements. It was targeted toward the senior-level directors, deputy directors and chiefs of various contracting offices across the agency’s major subordinate commands and strategy and business services.

These leaders are also chiefs of contracting offices, or CCOs, referring to government employees with acquisition career field certifications who directly manage contracting office operations. These positions are typically in supplier operations, strategic acquisition or procurement directorates, and report to heads of contracting activities, or HCAs, located throughout DLA’s major commands.

Cathy Contreras, DLA Aviation’s acquisition executive and HCA, welcomed more than 30 leaders and developmental candidates to the summit and shared her thoughts on what they owe to their teams, challenging attendees to think about how to meet those responsibilities.

“It's really the health and welfare of the acquisition workforce, making sure people have the training and tools and everything that they need to execute the mission, executing that mission, and then making sure we're executing that mission in a compliant way,” she said. “Another way that you're all in critical roles is in the fact that you also have responsibility for systems and processes. So, how do we leverage all the capabilities of our organization to deliver the tools and capabilities that our workforce needs to put them in a really good position?”

One of the primary summit topics was recruiting and retention, with DLA Human Resources providing an update from the last summit in November 2023. In Aviation, Contreras noted that some parts of the organization have experienced a nearly 30% turnover recently.

“We’re in a situation where a lot of the workforce – not just at the working level, but at the first-line supervision level, and even in our strategic acquisition organizations – are very green,” she said. “They haven’t had the opportunity to really grow in the positions that they’re in to develop the skills they need to be able to executive independently. How do we get them the training they need to be confident and comfortable in the roles that they’re in?

“That’s a big conversation,” Contreras continued. “A part of the (summit) agenda is talking to J-1 about ‘how do we make sure we’re not just recruiting the right talent, but that we’re also putting the things in place that we need to be able to retain them?’”

Other topics briefed included source selection, future procurement systems, internal contract review opportunities, deployment teams, and Defense Acquisition Workforce Development Accounts funds usage, along with upcoming changes to certification requirements for contract specialists, provided by Defense Acquisition University’s Cindy Baker.  Army Sgt. 1st Class Christopher Cook provided attendees with an insider look at the logistics landscape from the Army perspective, and Jim Cunningham, a contract specialist from Defense Contract Management Agency, briefed contract closeouts. Participants also toured the DLA Disposition activities and historical Aviation locations at DSCR.